Refrigerating counter



Jan. s, 1928. 1,655,025

E. PLATTEN REFRIGERATING COUNTER Filed June 6, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 3, 1928.

. 1,655,025 E. PLATTEN REFRIGERATI'NG COUNTER Filed June 6, 1927 5 s t -s t 2 WAI/ Jan. 3, 1928. 1,655,025

, E. PLATTEN REFRIGERATING COUNTER Filed June 6. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan. 3, 1928.

- UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

v EMMET PLATTEN, OF GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN.

:anrarennarrne coun'rnn.

Application filed June 6, 1927. Serial No. 1963843.

This invention relates to refrigerating having a metal bottom 1 and continuous side counters. walls 2 integral with the bottom. These Obljects of this invention are to provide a side walls terminate in outwardly extending nove 6 is so constructed that a metal food receiving ginal strip 4 and the side walls 5 of the member is provided with a depressed portion counter. If desired, any suitable insulating below which and in contact with which a packing may be employed. refrigerating unit is placed, such refrigerat- Below the bottom 1 of the counter a metal ing unit being a distinct and separate entity plate 6 is positioned by means of a pluralfrom the counter itself. ity of bolts 7. These bolts are preferably Furtherobjects of this invention are to threaded or otherwise secured to the bottom provide a construction such as outlined above 1 of the counter and pass through apertures in which a removable refrigerating unit is in the plate 6. They are provided with employed, such unit being constructed i helical springs 8 loosely surrounding their manner to permit its free sliding into We and urging the plate 6 upwardly withdrawal from the remaining portion of to ards the bottom 1. the apparatus without requiring and dis- The refrigerating unit comprises a metal mantling whatsoever. slald, or plate 9 provided with outgoing ducts Further objects areto provide anovel'form or hannels 10 and return channels 11 comof refrigerating counter in which a removmuricating with each other and with a main able unit is yieldingly held in intimate metal cyl to metal contact with the bottom of the the conventional type of certain well-known counter and is formed primarily as a metal refrigerating units and may be supplied in slab having outgoing and return conduits or any suitable manner. Such cylinder is channels provided therein and communicatrigidly formed with the metal slab 9, so that ing with'the main cylinder of the refrigerthey constitute a single removable unit which atin unit, such metal slab being yieldingly is handled as a single entity and which is hel between the metal bottom of a reslipped in place between the yielding plate frigerating counter and a metal retaining 6 and the bottom 1. plate yieldingly urged upwardly towards It is to be notedfrom Figure 1 that the the bottom of the counter, such counter bebottom 1 of the counter is provided with an ing open at one end-to permit the free withupwardly bulged portion 1 which fits the drawal laterally of the unit. cylinder 12. It is to be noted further that Embodiments of the invention are shown one of the vertical walls 5 of the counter is in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view so that the refrigerating unit may be bodily through a counter. showing the refiigeratslipped into place through the aperture and in unit in 'place with parts broken away; between the plate 6 and-bottom 1 of the re- Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view, frigerating counter. such view showing a portion of the counter The plate 6 may be made either stiff or with the bottom removed and showing the yielding. Obviously, if it is made of stiff refrigerating unit with parts broken away; and non-yielding material, the springs 8 Figure 3 1s a transverse sectional view on are essential for the correct operation of the the line 3-3 of Figure 2; apparatus as otherwise the bolts 7 would Figure is a view corresponding to Figure have to be loosened to permlt removal and 3 showing. a modified form of construction; replacement of the unit, although in certain Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view of installations this may be found sufiicient. a further modified form; Preferably, however, the plate is'made yield- Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view of ing or else springs, such as indicated at 8, are the refrigerating unit removed. employed or both of these expedlents may Referring to the drawings, it will be seen be followed. that the refrigerating counter comprises a The space between the side edges of the metal trough-like member or counter proper metal plate 6 and the metal bottom 1 ofthe form of refrigerating counter which flanges 3 which are secured between the mar nder 12. This main cylinder may be of provided with an aperture 13 therethrough counter are closed bymeans of the metal bellows-like folded and yielding strips 14.

These strips, as may be seen from Figure3,

are apertured for the passage therethrough of the bolts 7. They contact with the bottom l and the plate 6 and provide a yieldcharacter 15. In this form of the invention,

bolts 17. This provides a sufiicient amount the edge ,portions 16 of such metal plate are turned upwardly and outwardly, as shown, and are apertured for the reception of the of spring to permit the insertion and removal of the refrigerating unit.

It is to be noted further that the refrigerating unit is a single bodily removable entity and that not only the-outgoing channels, but also the return channels for the refrigerant, are formed in the metal slab, so that the maximum heat extraction occurs. In addition to this, the relatively wide. and long metal slab of the refrigerating unit contacts throughout its face with a metal to metal contact with the metal bottom 1 of the counter. It is apparent, therefore, that the heat of the articles placed within the counter is actually conducted directly through the metal of the counter and is carried away by the refrigerating unit.

It is to be noted particularly that there are no pipes or other portions of the apparatus which have to be freed from bolts or attaching means in the removal or replacement of the unit. Instead, the unit is merely slipped through "the front aperture in the counter and pushed into place or is as freely removed. 1

through the side wall of t e apparatus in the manner previously described and houses a removable refrigerating unit 19 similar to the refrigerating unit previously described and rov1ded with ducts or passageways 21 for t e refrigerant.

It is to be noted however that this form of invention contemplates the employment of a plurality of springs 20 of metal which are rigidly joined to the refrigerating unit or slab 19 and which normall are somewhat extended. However, when t e'unit is slid into position within the casing below the counter, the springs are substantially flat, as they are compressed between the walls of the easing and-the bottom of the counter. These metal springs are good conductors ofh'eat and, consequently, form an ellicient thermal connection or joint between the refrigerating unit and the metal bottom of the counter.-

. In Figure 5, the position of the springs is, very much exaggerated in order to adequately show the several parts. It is, however, m-

tended-that it be understood that these springs are substantiall flat when the unit is slid into place, as t e springs are compressed, as described above. Thus, it will be 4 seen that the springs constitute a' multitude of low resistance paths through which the heatmay travel from the bottom'of the counter to the refrigeratin unit.

It is to be distinct y understood that although the food receiving portion has been described as depressed, it nevertheless, :in ,some cases, may be made flush with the upper portion of the counter.

Although the invention has been described a in considerable detail, such description is in-v tended to be illustrative rather than limiting as the invention ma be-variously embodied and as the scope 0 such invention is to be determined as claimed.

- I claim; A

1. A refrigerating counter comprising abody portion having a metal food receiving member provided with a bottom Wall, a refrigerating unit comprising a main cylinder and a metal slab rigid therewith and provided with outgoing and return ducts com- 'municating with such cylinder, and means for yieldingly holding the metal slab in intimate metal to metal contact with the underside of the metal bottom of said counter. v

2. A refrigerating counter comprising a body portion having a metal food receiving I member provided with a bottom wall, a refrigerating unit comprising a main cylinder and a metal slab rigid therewith and provided with outgoing and return ducts communicating with such cylinder, and means for yieldingly holdingthe metal slab. in intimate metal to metal contact with the underside of the metal bottom of said counter,

said means consisting of a metal plate yieldingly urging said unit against the bottom of such counter.

3. A refrigerating counter comprisin main body ortion' having a food receivin part, forme of metal a .metal plate space downwardly below sald food receiving artv and yieldingly urged towards such foo receiving part, and a removable refrigerating provi havin a metal food receiving compartment ed with a-bottom wall, a metal plate positioned beneath said bottom wall and spaced therefrom, one of said side walls having an aperture therethrough, and a removable refrigerating unit adapted to be passed through said aperture and positioned between said plate and said bottom.

'5. A refrigerating counter comprising a body portion having sidewalls, one of said side walls being apertured and having a metal food receiving member provided with a bottom wall, a late yieldingly urged towards the undersi e of said bottom wall, and a removable refrigerating unit consisting of a ri idly joined cylinder and a metal slab rigi therewith and provided with outgoing and return ducts communicating with said 0 linder, said refrigerating unit being positioned between said plate and said bottom and being freely removable laterally of said counter through the aperture in its side wall.

6. A refrigerating counter comprising a body portion having side walls, one of said side walls being apertured and having a metal food receiving member provided with a bottom wall, a plate yieldingly urged towards the underside of said bottom wall,

and a removable refrigeratin unit consisting of a rigidly joined oy inder and a metal slab rigid therewith and provided with outgoing and return ducts communicating with said cylinder, said refrigerating unit being positioned between said plate and said bottom and being freely removable laterally of said counter through the aperture in its side wall, and a plurality of bellows-like yielding metal strips closing the gap between said metal plate and said bottom on opposite sides of said metal slab.

7 A refrigerating counter comprising a metal body portion adapted to receive food, said counter havin side Walls with one of said walls provide with an aperture, a removable refrigerating unit consisting of a metal rectangular member having apertures for the circulation of a refrigerant, and yielding means for thermally connecting said removable unit to said metal body portion, said unit being freely movable through said aperture.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Green Bay, in the County of Brown, and State of Wisconsin.

EMMET PLATTEN. 

